Mechanical pencil



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J. C. WAHL MECHANICAL PENCIL Filed July 1'7 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 f@ xY I!! IIIIII I` IgA/Ma@ 1,637,363 All8 2f 1927' J. c. WAHL MECHANICALPENC I L Filed July 17. ,1925 s sheets-sheet 5 IQ/y Ji 9 g 56 JE r; yfun J5 dd Z/yj /7 EO E2 l I v 4 5 /9 i U i Patented Aug. 2, 1927.

vUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

1 J' OHN C. `WAHL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO '.'LIEIE WAHLCOMPANY, Ol' CHI- CAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF. vDELAWARE. I

.MECHANICAL PENCIL,

Application med Iuiy 17, 1925. serial No.. 44,1111.l

My invention relates to a pencil of the type in which the lead is movedlongitudinally through the ltip by mechanical means.

Among the objects of my invention` is the 15 provision of a mechanicalpencil in which the lead may be propelled, repelled and cX- pelledthrough thetip, and it contemplates novel means for effecting theseresults.

A further object of my invention isv the provision of a pencil shorterin length than the usual mechanical pencil, and comprising such anarrangement of interior parts as to make possible the incorporation of anovel lead magazine without increasing the length of the pencil. Anotherobject of my invention is the provision of a novel form of lead magazinethat may be used in either a long or short ncil, as desired, but is ofespecial value in a short pencil, in which it is vital'to conservelongitudinal space.

-A further object of my invention is a' novel combination of the leadmagazine and the lead propelling, repelling and 'expelling mechanism.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a more simple,economical and eilicient pencil of the mechanical type.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities will hereinafter more fullyappear.

My invention further resides in thecombination, construction andarrangement of parts shown in the drawings, and while I -have shown apreferred embodiment I wish it to be understood that the same .issusceptible of modification and change without departing' from thespirit of my invention.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is and partly in section of a pencil embodying myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the upper portion oi my improvedpencil.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the re maining portion of the pencilextending from the line' X-X at the bottom of Fig. 2 to the tip of thepencil. V v

Fig. 4 isa fragmentary longitudinal section of a portion of the pencil,showing the two orosseheads in their normally spaced apart positionswhich they occupy when there is a substantial amount of lead vin thepencil. i

Fig.

of the tapered portion 2 is a side view partly in elevation.

. I .16 of the actuating rin 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section ofthe lower portion-of the vpencll show.

in'g the lowercross-head in engagement with the threads or smallerpitch, and the upper cross-head in leady expelling position.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation partly'broken away of the inner tube, whichcarries the threads for .imparting motion to the' crossheads, the upperleft hand mcm'ner being shown in section lfor the sake. of clearness.

Fig. 7,-" is a transverse cross-section taken on a plane through mypencil indicated on the line 7--7 of Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is an end view Fig.6. l

Fig. 9 is a detailed side tube and associated parts for actuating thetwo cross-heads.

Fig. 10 is a detailedI perspective view partly broken away of the memberforming the lead magazine.

Fig: 11 is a perspective detail ofthe lead gripping and carrying tube. A

' Referring to the drawings 'my invention comprises an outer casing 1,at its lower` end the tapered portion `2 terminating in the tip 3, whichtip, as shown in Fig. 5, is formed. with longitudinal ,opening t of asize to snugly permit longitudinal movement of the lead 5 therethrough.Fixed to the inside of casing 1 at a point adjacent lthe upper end atransverse member 6, having a longitudinal bore 7, in which is securedthe upper end 8 'of the tube 9, the lower end. ofwhich tube issuitablyand snugly fitted within the lower portion of the tapered end 2of the pencil, with theJ looking down upon elevation of .the

bore of tube V9 and the bore in tip 3 in alignment. Fixed totheinterior'of casing 1 to rotatetherewith is the tube 10 which, asshown in Fig. 5, engages at 11 with-the transverse member '6. f 'I Tube10 is formed with interior' threads 12 throughout the Vgreater 'portionof its length, which threads 12 at their lower end merge into threads13, which are of less pitch than threads 12, for a purpose to beAhereinafter more fully set `forth. Near its upper end the tube 10 isformed with' aninwardlyl extending circumferential bead 14, and is alsoprovided at diametrically opposite sideswith longitudinal slits'15 topermit during assembly the entrance at this 4end of the tube of thetubular' extension 17, withsuch a t Fixe'd to rotate with the actuatingring 17 is the inner actuating tube 18 which, as shown in Fig. 9, isprovided with diametrically opposite longitudinal slots 19, in whichslots the edges of the cross-heads 20 and 21 `threads 22 and 23 ofcross-heads 2O and 21 are of such size and arrangementthat the willoperatively 1engage either of threa s 12 or 13, which is especially trueof the lower cross-head` 21, which atthe lower end of its movement moves,into full engagement with threads 13, as shown in Fig. 5, which is thelead expelling position of the crossheads.

As seen in Fig. 2, the lowercross-head 21 is provided with a lonitudinal bore, in an enlarged portion of whlch is secured the upper endof the lead gripping and carrying tube 24 which, when the cross-headsare in their uppermost osition, as shown in Fig. 1, enters a shortdistance into tube 9. Fixed in the upper cross-head 20 is a plunger rod25, which extends, as shown in Fig. 3, nearly to the lower end of leadgripping tube 24, when the cross-heads arein thelr uppermost position.This leaves aportion 26 (see Fig. 3) of the lead gripping tube availableat the lower end of the plunger rod 25 for gripping and securely holdingthe upper end of the lead, which is facilitated by the resilient natureof the material of tube: 24, and the provision of a lon itudinal slit 27lengthwise of this tube, whiclfi tube is normally slightly lesei indiameter than the diameter of the lea `The actuatin ring 17 has anupwardly extending tubu ar portion 28, upon which is screw-threaded thesleeve 29, carrying the eraser 30 and the eraser securing member 31, thebottom of which latter member also forms a closure for the lead magazineabout to be described.

The general construction of the main operating parts of this pencil issubstantial- -ly the same as those described and, claimed in myco-pendin application, Serial No.

' 44,190, filed July 1 1925. The present pencil, however, being muchshorter in length than that shown and described in my said eo-pendinapplication, necessitates an entirely di erent form of magazine for theextra leads;

The main construction of this magazine is shown in pers ective in Fig.10, and comprises parts pre erabl stamped from a single piece of metal,alt ough I wish it -understood that the same might di'er somewhat fromthisexact construction, -without departing from the` spirit of myinvention.

I he form of magazine chosen for illustrative purposesin thisapplication comprises the two downwardly depending legs 32 and 33,

which are joined together at their upper end by the 'plate member 34,having the projecting ends 35 and 36. The marginal edges of legs 32 and33 are angularly bent to form the side portions 37, 38, 39 and 40,respectively, which side portions form the sides of the two leadmagazines ositio'ned one upon each side of the crossads. The lower endsof legs 32 and 33 are bent outwardly at right angles to form the endportions 41 and 42, respectively, whose functions are toformthe bottomof the lead magazine.

It will be noted that the edges 35 and 36 of the plate 34 are arcuatelyshaped so as snugly to fit the inner peripheral wall of the tube 18.Likewise the edges of the end portions 41 and 42 are arcuately shaped tolit the inner wall of the tube 18. By reference to Figure 10, it will beseen that the two legs 32'and 33 are substantially resilient due totheir connection at the late 34 and hence when this unit is insertewithin the tube 18 the legs 32 and 33 will tend to spread so that theend portions 41 and 42 will frictionally gri fthe inner walls of thetube 18 and hold t e magazine member firmly in.

If desired the.' member Vmay be position. p soldered or otherwiseretained in such posi tion but the constructionfl'shown and described issimple, economical and effective.

In assembling these parts the legs 32, 33, of cross-bar 34, and theirassociated parts, are inserted into the actuating tube 18, with thecross-heads 20 and 21 occupying a osition between legs 32 and 33, theedges o which cross-heads, as stated above, also extend through slots 19for engagement with the threads-in tube., 10. The extending ends 35 and36 of cross-bar 34 prevent the inadvertent dropping of an extra leadinto that portion occupied by the`cross-heads. These lead magazines aremade available by unscrewing sleeve 29 from the threaded extension ofactuating ring 17, thus giving ready and easy access to the extra leads.By positioning the cross-heads between legs 32, 33, of the lead magazinethe length of the pencil is very materially decreased.

The operation of my pencil isfas follows:

The operatorby grasping the easing 1 in one hand .and rotating'theactuating ring 17 with the other causes a rotation of the twocross-heads 20 and 21, it bein assumed that in starting this-operation'te cross-heads stand in their uppermbst position, as shown in Figs. 1', 4and 9. This rotation causes the crossheads, which in this positionengage threads 12,-to move longitudinally of the casing simultaneouslyand at the same speed until the lower cross-head 21 comes into en.

gagement with the'threads 13 of less pitch,

ping tube 24 into the position shown in Fig..

5, which will completely expel the remaining fragment of lead from thetip. During the movement of the cross-heads prior to engagement of l thelower cross-head with threads 13 the p-lunger rod Q5 and lead grippingtube 24 will move together toeither propel the lead through the tip orrepel the same, depending upon the direction of rotation of thecross-heads. Y

It will thus be seen that I have provided a propel, repel, expel pencilthat can be constructed of small length, and have incorporated in thesame a novel andpreadily A outwardly at substantially right angles toavailable magazine for extra leads.

1.. In a mechanical pencil, a casing, an actuating tube, an actuatingmember longitudinally movable in said tube, and a pair of elongatedmembers insertible into said tube N,tofstraddle said actuating memberand having sides and bottoms cooperating with said tube to deiine a leadmagazine.

2. In a mechanical pencil, a casing, an elongated hollow actuatingelement rotatable in said casing, and a magazine member vinsertible intosaid hollow element, said member having .a pair of depending legs, eachof the legs having sidesand a bottom contacting at their outer edgeswith the inner walls of the hollow element to form a pair of spacedmagazines for eXtra leads.

3. In a mechanical pencil, a tubular member, and means forming' a leadmagazine comprising a pair of spaced apart legs, each of said legshaving outwardly7 extehding sides and an angular bottom, and a topmember uniting said legs to permit them to be simultaneously insertedinto the interior of a pencil to cooperate with said member to definecompartments for extra leads.

4. In a mechanical pencil, a casing having internal threads, a slottedactuating tube rotatable in the casing, a magazine element insertibleinto the tube and having a pair of depending legs each of which isprovided with sides and a bottom bent outwardlyT to contact with theinner surt'ace of the tube to form a pair of spaced lead magazines, anda cross-head the edge of which extends through the slot of the tube`into threaded en-` gagement witlrsaid internal threads, said crossheadhaving longitudinal movement between said legs upon rotation of theactuating tube with relation to the casing.

5. In a mechanical pencil, a casing having internal threads, a slottedactuating tube rotatable Lin the casing, a magazine member insertibleinto the tube and having a pair or dependinglegs each of. which isprovided with sides and a bottom bent outwardly to contact with theinner surface of the tube. to form a pair of spaced lead magazines, anda cross-head the edge of which extends through the slot of the tube intothreaded engagement with said internal threads, said cross-head havinglongitudinal movement between said legs upon rotation of the actuatingtube with relation to the casing, and removable means for closing theopen ends of said lead magazines.

v6. A magazine member for mechanical pencils, said member being madefrom a single flat piece ot metal and :termed to have a fiat centrallportion w-ith extending ends, and a pair otdepending legs, each of saidlegs being bent at right angles to the central portion and formed withoutwardly bent sides and a bottom portion extending its respective leg.-4 y 7. In a mechanical pencil a casing, lead propelling mechanism insaid casing having an actuating tube, means forming a lead magazine insaid tube comprising a pair of downwardly depending spacedV apart legs,each of said legs having `outwardly extending sides and an outwardlyextending bottom substantially engagingthe inner sur-4 face of the tube.

8. In a mechanical pencil, an actuating tube, means forming a magazinefor eXtra leads in said 'tube comprising a pair of spaced apart legsconnected at their upper ends and extending downwardly 'therefrom insaid tube and having bent sides and bottoms engaging the inner surfaceof the tube, and propelling elements longitudinally movable between saidlegs.

9. In a mechanical pencil, an actuating tube, means forming a magazinefor eXtra leads in said tube comprisinga pair of spaced apart legslongitudinally disposed in said tube and having bent sides and bottomsengaging the inner surface of the tube, propellingelements-longitudinally movable between said legs, and a. removablecover for said magazine. n

10. In a mechanical pencil, a tubular element, a magazine member havingspaced apart legs adapted to cooperate with said element to define twolead chambers, and

means for connecting saidlegs at their upl per ends and adapted as anend closure for the space between said legs.

11. In a mechanical pencil, a casing having threads, a rotatingactuatingtube there- `in and `means forming a lead magazine comprising asheet metal member disposed within the actuating `tube and bent toprovide spaced resilient legs having portions ada ted trictionally toengage the inner walls o the tube and form a lead 'chamber therewith anddetachably to hold the lead magazine forming means in position withinthe actuatingl tube and an actuator disposed within the.

and a cap adapted to close the rear end of said magazine.

13. In a mechanical pencil, a threaded casing, an actuating tube Withinthe casing, a member within the actuating tube and having partscooperating with the aetuatin tube to define a lead ma azine, and a leafeeding member disposed within the first mentioned member and projectingthrough the Walls of the actuating tube tp engage the threads of thecasing.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name to this specification.

JOHN C. WAHL.

